The ACUHO-I membership includes a diverse range of institutions. Despite their differences, though, they share a common goal to deliver exemplary student experiences.
Assessing individuals, programs, and operations, though, requires a proper measuring stick. That’s why campus housing programs rely on established professional standards to inform their strategic direction and operational procedures.
Two of the leading resources for setting the standard for campus housing are the ACUHO-I Standards and Ethical Principles and the CAS Standards. Crafted in broad terms to better enable their application, these best practices and standards are invaluable ways to assess operations, identify gaps, and plan accordingly for the future.
ACUHO-I Standards
The ACUHO-I Standards and Ethical Principles for College and University Housing Professionalsprovide a compendium of best practices that, while voluntary, campus housing programs are strongly encouraged to use. Written and revised by the ACUHO-I Professional Standards Committee, the standards are used to evaluate programs, create self-assessments, shape staff training, and more. You can count on the ACUHO-I Standards to help evaluate your department’s mission, functional areas, qualifications, and ethics.
ACUHO-I Standards & Ethical Principles
The ACUHO-I Standards and Ethical Principles for College and University Housing Professionals document contains both standards and guidelines. The standards provide a compendium of best practices that all colleges and universities operating student housing are strongly encouraged to use regularly. Guidelines are practices and or policies that are recommended.
These standards have been written and revised by members of ACUHO-I for the expressed purpose of improving the quality of the post-secondary student experience, and the professional management of student housing programs.
The ACUHO-I Professional Standards Committee has also created an assessment guide to help housing departments better determine how successful they have been in meeting the standards. This guide is designed to be administered through a self-assessment or through an external reviewer. Regardless of the approach, this guide is the final step for housing and residence life departments to not only set the bar high but also establish strategies as they strive to clear it. The guide is reserved as a benefit for ACUHO-I members. Download the file from the ACUHO-I online community.
CAS Standards
The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education promotes standards for virtually every aspect of student affairs, including housing and residence life. These CAS Standards foster student learning, development, and achievement, as well as promote professional practice. Designed to describe quality practice, the standards are developed through collaboration and consensus and can be applied across institutional types and sizes.
ACUHO-I liaises with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education to contribute and report on changes to the functional area of Housing and Residential Life.
ACUHO-I members can access the “Housing and Residential Life Programs Standards” document for free through the CAS Standards storefront. Users will have to create an account in the CAS store and then redeem a discount code. Contact the ACUHO-I office to receive your code. A self-assessment guide is also available for an additional charge.
